


New Beginnings

by ShadowHaloedAngel



Category: Ocean's 8 (2018)
Genre: Back to School, College, F/F, Post-Canon, Post-Heist
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-27
Updated: 2019-08-27
Packaged: 2020-09-27 17:37:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 893
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20411689
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShadowHaloedAngel/pseuds/ShadowHaloedAngel
Summary: Now it's all over, Lou's got some plans of her own.





	New Beginnings

**Author's Note:**

  * For [SilverOak](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilverOak/gifts).

> Good luck and good vibes to everyone at the start of the new academic year!

As much as her inner voice was telling her it was ridiculous to feel nervous as a grown-ass woman, Lou's stomach was full of butterflies as she strutted towards the auditorium. She'd spent a lot of time scoping the campus out, making sure this was the right place for her, making sure she kept her options open, making sure she knew exactly where each one of her damn classes was. This wasn't an opportunity she was about to waste. They had money now, sure, but Lou had spent enough of her life going through lean times that she wasn't about to take it all for granted. She was doing all of this out of the savings she'd socked away from the club. The millions were for a rainy day. But it was nice to know they were there as a fallback plan in case all of this fell apart. 

It had been a big decision to go back to school. She'd made an attempt a long long time ago, but the American system had been too much to wrap her head around, and there had been other things which were more important, like keeping a roof over her head and food on the table. Then one night in a smoky club she'd met Debbie and the rest was history. She didn't regret that decision, not really. Back then she hadn't really been ready for a lot of things. She knows how to switch off survival mode now, for the most part, but back then everything was a fight, and everything had weight and importance, everything had been incredibly bewildering. She wasn't out of her depth on the streets but the classroom had been a different world. 

There's still a little bit of that in her stomach now but she's trying to force it down and write it off as first day nerves. Everybody gets those. She's confident in this, and she's not going to rush it. She spent a long time talking to the academic advisors to make sure that everything was going to be set up right. It's a light load. Part time. A couple of credit hours to make sure that she can hack it, that it's something she wants. She does want it, though, and she knows she's more than capable of getting it. It's just about proving it. She doesn't have anything to prove to the people who matter, but the way life has gone, she knows there are a few more doors open to people with the right piece of paper. 

Right now she's undeclared, in a couple of the basic intro classes for non-majors. She doesn't really get the whole major thing just yet, but she doesn't have to. If she thinks about it as an excuse to get a good broad base of classes and find out what she likes, that's something she understands. She's kind of looking forward to today, truth be told. She always liked science, the way it explained a lot of things. She liked a lot of things, she enjoyed learning, in the years while Debbie was in prison she'd turned into a bit of an auto-didact, squirrelling away information, reading anything she could get her hands on. It was a way to keep busy, as if the club didn't keep her busy enough. 

She's considering looking at a science major. Maybe biology, or psychology. Maybe something in data science. There are a lot more subjects now than there had been to choose from the first time around.

The auditorium is bright and new and the overhead lighting isn't being kind to anyone, but Lou doesn't hesitate to take a seat at the front. She's here to take this seriously. Sure, it's an intro class for non-majors, but it's an opportunity and she's never been one to pass up opportunity. Biology 101 for non-majors, with Doctor Jones. Lou isn't sure what to expect, but she already has a pretty high opinion of the woman who walks in to stand at the front. 

"Hi, I'm Doctor Jones, you can call me Brittany. I'm sure you've already noticed there's no book listed for this class, there are plenty of open access materials I'll make sure are available to you as we go through. Here is the syllabus, we'll go through it now and talk a little about my expectations of you, and your expectations of this class. Feel free to bring anything you're having trouble with to office hours, I'm happy to go through it. If you have any questions about assessments or course content, please read the syllabus before you email me, you will almost certainly find the answer there."

Lou can feel the butterflies easing already as she slides her new hardback notebook onto the desk and grabs a pen. She's pretty sure she's going to like this class, and best of all, after the lecture she's going to grab a coffee with Debbie. There had been a little good-natured teasing that morning about her first day of school, but Lou knows that Debbie wants to hear all about it, and most of all that she has unshakeable faith in her. It's one of the things they do for each other. But as much as she helps Debbie soar, Lou knows the Ocean's always there to hold her up just as high.


End file.
